The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-04-21
Very Old.
from the Independent, Jan. s, 1885.

from the Independent, Jan. s, 1851
A press di~patch from Philadelphia,
giving as authority the lab RS of repor-
ter on the Times Of that city, gives
what purpnrts to be ''some very inter.
esting information about big life i1su-
ran, e. aud those who hold Them"
Among these are mentioned Mr.. JOHN
B. Stetson. S72D, 900; +. B. Gowen, 1925
600; John Wanamaker, $3.50, OCO; B. Fl.
Shoemaker and Wharton Barker, $lOO,
600; Geo. Ii. Stuart, 100000; L. e.
Cassidy, J. K. Dobbins, and George
Hardin, 100000. Those are Philade-
phianS. Among New Workers are men,
toned: H. B. Clafl'n, Sl25 ,tCO; Henry
Ward Beecher, 500 90, Clas. A. Dana,
Sl20,000; Chas. Pratt and Henry B. Hyde
Sl65. 00) John Glib, $4,000, Alexander
Barrett and Il. b. Roberts, 500, OC;
Cyrus w. Field, $40 600; +. w. Devoe
$3.50, eco; Pierre Lorll'ard, $255, 600; Jay
Gould, Sl0", 200; W. Ii. Vanderbilt,
$500, coo.
Perhaps this list is in part imaginative;
yet many Of the names have been repeat
eddy brought into typo in this way; aud,
as to some Of the prominent men rar ed,
it is undoubtedly true that at least they
carry large insurance. The argument
from examl |, is just as good as it is in
tended to be. 1t does not mean that the
man with 5 900 a year ought to have
500 coo insurance because some million
airo carries that amount, nor that he
ought to TAX out a larger policy IAN he
nas reasonable expectation Of pay ing tor
/ 1t means that The men whose judgment
Is best attested ty the results it has
achieved for them, believe that the lie
insurance sysLt IN is safe, do not believe
any of the stale stories about misnlan-
asement of the companies, &c &, and do
not believe life insurance cost more than
it returns Some Years ago, WITHIN the
personal knowledge OF the writer hereof
one insurance mali mentioned to another
! the name OF Albert Weber. then we'll
Known piano mas er, as man who was
not Insured, and was therefore, a posi-
! bic candidate. Whereupon the other
rel lied: "A bert " e!ber can't be insur-
ed" The meaning of course was that
Mr.. Weber could not be persuaded to
be; that is, lie ,C0utd not be insured. He
dlei Lot very long sfter. The son, OF
the SINE name, proved not his equal
IN business ability, and it is eviuent
that Mr.. Weber's estate wou d have b zen
protitt d had he had less firmly rooted
objection to life insurance.
| This is only very Ordinary example
of the kind, hard y to be named b, the
side OF the many painful case Of wealth
exchanged for poverty, and luxury for
privatloD, because OF al over conf Ienc e
in The hXtty of individual prosperity
The wings of riches, the changefu.uess
of material conditions, the prudence of
having something put beyond contin-
gency, and the fact that nothing is quite
safe from reverSeS which does not stand
/ upon dUtrGge prosperIty-these are the
plalne>t lessons of experience.
! The moral is old and homely. To be-
come insured is not 10 become rich,
except in highly fsuratiye sense.
! For the present rich, it is to secure
a fortune against all dangers; tor
the mass of mankind, it is to put I'D a
barrier against positive want. 1t is a
saving process practicable for all and.
practlcaily-that is, in the insurance
sense completed as soon as it is begun.
No other process has ever been devised
which will do as much: and none can be.
In country where Nature is not SO
| Find and human wants so few, that
existence may be leness, there can be
nothing else to take its place. 1t costs,
undoubtedly; that is the worst of it: but
all requirement costs. 1t is only air
castles, and expectations" and prom
ises, that are cheap.
Ifyou do not already carry policy on
! your life, ca. on j. II. Young and take
one out. 1t is duty you owe to both
Yourself and your family.